But I’d completely underestimated my sister’s strength and resolve.
From the expression on her face, she was dealing with the same emotional fallout I was. After closing the gap between us, I bent down beside her.
When I took the empty glass from her, she jerked her gaze to mine. With a gentle smile, I brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face. “Ty v poryadke, zaychik?” I asked.
Since childhood, Mila’s nickname had beenzaychik, or bunny, after her once buck teeth. I hadn’t asked her in Russian to be secretive. It just felt right in the moment.
“I’m fine.” When I cocked my brows at her, she sighed. “I’m a fucking mess.”
I cupped her cheek with my hand. “D-Dima p-put too much on you.”
Mila shook her head furiously back and forth. “After everything Father did to me and to Kellan, I deserved to be the one who shot him.”
“He wasn’t Father of the Year to me either,” I mused.
A smile curved on her lips. “Are we going to get in a pissing contest now about who deserved to pull the trigger?”
“Fuck yeah. The man d-denied me of my b-birthright,” I said with a laugh.
A snort came from Dima who sat across from us. “Yeah, well, he tried to take mine away after I was almost paralyzed in a shooting he ordered me to do.”
“Only b-because he’d t-taken my b-birthright,” I repeated.
“Seriously, guys? The man drew me out on the pretense that Kira was in the hospital, so he could kill me.”
“Technically, that was part of our plan,” Dima argued.
“Maybe I need to remind you how he almost choked me to death while you were in a coma,” Mila challenged.
With an exaggerated roll of my eyes, I replied, “Fine. Make it about you.”
Mila smacked me playfully. “I think that’s only fair considering the man has loathed my very existence since I was twelve.”
“You’re right,” I said softly, to which Dima agreed.
With a wicked grin, Mila said, “If I had it to do over again, I would’ve suggested we torture him for a little while.”
Dima and I laughed. “We needed the change of power to happen quickly,” Dima reasoned.
She sighed. “I know. I just would’ve enjoyed kicking the shit out of him.”
“Same,” I mused.
When she moved to stand up, I rose to my feet. “Where are you g-going?”
“I need to call Kellan and let him know I’m all right.”
I threw a glance at Dima to gauge his reaction. Even though he’d brought it upon himself for following Father’s request, bad blood remained for him about Kellan. At the same time, Mila held her own grudge against Dima since he’d not only overseen Kellan’s horrific beating at the hands of Father’s men, but had taken a part.
Dima claimed he participated to keep Father believing in his allegiance since he and I were working together to overthrowhim at that time. Like Mila, I didn’t buy it. No one was ever going to be good enough for Mila in his eyes, least of all someone from an enemy family like Kellan was. His injury caused his bitterness at both Kellan and Mila to get the better of him.
To my surprise, Dima nodded at her. “Tell him to call off the cavalry.”
“Excuse me?” Mila questioned.
Dima chuckled. “I have the feeling the Kavanaugh brigade is going to descend on us shortly to rescue you.”
Mila’s face lit up like the sun. “Really?”
